Many tree fruits are delicate in nature and sensitive to bruising during the harvesting process. In particular, apples are quite sensitive to bruising, and any bruising will cause an apple to be classified as a “juicer” rather than as a premium quality dessert apple. The price that the grower receives for “juicers” or other lower grades of apples is much reduced from that which he receives for dessert grade apples. The class of “juicers” includes apples which are made into apple juice, as well as apples which are sliced and dehydrated, canned or otherwise processed. Dessert grade apples are sold to consumers for consumption as fresh fruit.
Other fruits have similar problems with bruising during harvesting, and therefore great care is taken to harvest them in a manner that does not bruise them, and thus detract from their storage life or quality.
Most tree fruits have traditionally been picked by hand, with exceptions being almonds, walnuts, pecans and other nuts. Apples, oranges, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, nectarines and other similar fruit all must be picked by hand because a mechanical process has not been devised which is economical to use and can harvest the delicate fruit without causing bruising.
What is needed is a fruit harvesting machine which can harvest delicate fruits without causing bruising to the fruit, and which can collect the fruit in a central location for transport within the harvesting system, and which utilizes sensors to locate fruit and position the mechanical harvester for harvesting the fruit.